Phage display of peptide/major histocompatibility complex

J Immunol Methods. 2000 Jul 31;241(1-2):147-58. doi: 10.1016/s0022-1759(00)00211-8.

Abstract

To date, there is no direct way to determine the antigenic specificity of T-cells. While B-cell epitopes can be selected from phage-displayed libraries of peptides, the corresponding molecular tool for identifying T-cell epitopes does not yet exist. The natural ligands of the T-cell antigen-receptor (TCR) are essentially antigenic peptides (P) associated with the products of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Here, we report phages displaying P-MHC complexes. Single-chain P-MHC class I molecules, produced in E. coli periplasm, stimulate T-cells in a peptide-specific fashion. The same P-MHC, fused at the tip of filamentous phage, directed their binding to a recombinant TCR restricted to the displayed MHC haplotype (H-2K(d)). Importantly, the binding of P-K(d)-fd to a K(d)-restricted TCR, and also to K(d)-restricted T-cell hybridomas, was modulated by the displayed peptide. Therefore, we suggest phage display of P-MHC as a direct molecular tool for probing T-cell specificity, and for selecting TCR ligands from genetic libraries encoding randomized or natural peptides.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antigen Presentation
  • Capsid Proteins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Epitopes
  • Escherichia coli / genetics
  • Escherichia coli / virology
  • H-2 Antigens / biosynthesis*
  • H-2 Antigens / genetics
  • H-2 Antigens / immunology
  • Oligopeptides / biosynthesis*
  • Oligopeptides / genetics
  • Oligopeptides / immunology
  • Peptide Fragments / biosynthesis
  • Peptide Fragments / genetics
  • Peptide Fragments / immunology
  • Peptide Library*
  • Periplasm
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / biosynthesis
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / genetics
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / immunology*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / immunology
  • Solubility
  • Viral Fusion Proteins / biosynthesis

Substances

  • Capsid Proteins
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Epitopes
  • H-2 Antigens
  • H-2K(K) antigen
  • Oligopeptides
  • Peptide Fragments
  • Peptide Library
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins
  • Viral Fusion Proteins